My Freshman Year
In this chapter, Dr. Nathan draws a lot of attention towards international students and her interactions with them. She conducts interviews and becomes friends with many so that she can better understand what it is like for them to experience an american college.
Dr. Nathan opened up with what a few sentences that I found to be very interesting. She talked about how college was different for her due to her age, and that she almost felt like an outsider. She says how she then began to associate with the other "outsiders". I have noticed that this is something that goes on in both college and high school. It seems to me that people tend to associate with people that are like them, perhaps because they are afraid they won't fit in somewhere else or maybe because they are afraid to be introduced to different views and perspectives of people they wouldn't consider "like" them. I also found it interesting how she mentioned that the three Japanese exchange students seemed to be excited that they were engaged by an American student within the first week of school. This was interesting to me because it shows how there is still a gap between races and that we see each other as very different even though we may have the same likes and interests as someone of a different race. In addition, Dr. Nathan goes on to talk about how international students are amazed at how much alone time Americans spend and how antisocial they can be. I wonder if this is just part of our culture and something that sets us apart from others, or if it has a deeper reasoning behind it. That deeper reason may be due to the fact that we turn to social media as one of our main forms of socialization and contact with others. We may slowly becoming more comfortable talking through a screen than we are face to face.
The Mind At Work
In the Mind At Work, the author talks about a program that offers construction jobs for troubled teens who have found their way into the criminal justice system.
I find it interesting how this program offers work for trouble teenagers. This seems to me like a great idea and a second chance for students who would not make it far in life without it. I also enjoy how the author goes in detail about on of the students, Dwayne. The author talks about his laid back, calm attitude and his sense of humor. This to me, shows that troubled teenagers are not always, mean, self-centered individuals. They can be kind, talented, nice individuals who happened to find themselves caught on the wrong path and in trouble. Also the author goes into detail about some of the steps it takes to install a toilet or to do plumbing in general. This shows that just because someone doesn't do well in school, doesn't mean that they aren't intelligent individuals who can hold a job and be successful in life.
In this chapter, Dr. Nathan draws a lot of attention towards international students and her interactions with them. She conducts interviews and becomes friends with many so that she can better understand what it is like for them to experience an american college.
Dr. Nathan opened up with what a few sentences that I found to be very interesting. She talked about how college was different for her due to her age, and that she almost felt like an outsider. She says how she then began to associate with the other "outsiders". I have noticed that this is something that goes on in both college and high school. It seems to me that people tend to associate with people that are like them, perhaps because they are afraid they won't fit in somewhere else or maybe because they are afraid to be introduced to different views and perspectives of people they wouldn't consider "like" them. I also found it interesting how she mentioned that the three Japanese exchange students seemed to be excited that they were engaged by an American student within the first week of school. This was interesting to me because it shows how there is still a gap between races and that we see each other as very different even though we may have the same likes and interests as someone of a different race. In addition, Dr. Nathan goes on to talk about how international students are amazed at how much alone time Americans spend and how antisocial they can be. I wonder if this is just part of our culture and something that sets us apart from others, or if it has a deeper reasoning behind it. That deeper reason may be due to the fact that we turn to social media as one of our main forms of socialization and contact with others. We may slowly becoming more comfortable talking through a screen than we are face to face.
The Mind At Work
In the Mind At Work, the author talks about a program that offers construction jobs for troubled teens who have found their way into the criminal justice system.
I find it interesting how this program offers work for trouble teenagers. This seems to me like a great idea and a second chance for students who would not make it far in life without it. I also enjoy how the author goes in detail about on of the students, Dwayne. The author talks about his laid back, calm attitude and his sense of humor. This to me, shows that troubled teenagers are not always, mean, self-centered individuals. They can be kind, talented, nice individuals who happened to find themselves caught on the wrong path and in trouble. Also the author goes into detail about some of the steps it takes to install a toilet or to do plumbing in general. This shows that just because someone doesn't do well in school, doesn't mean that they aren't intelligent individuals who can hold a job and be successful in life.